Power from the Sun: A new life for Dharnai, India

In this world where we seem surrounded by news of gloom and doom, we don't often hear stories of positive change.

But here is one: a story of a village that has unshackled itself from darkness, after 30 years of having its energy needs neglected by governments.

Today, Dharnai is blooming with hope and ambition.

Dharnai village in Bihar, one of India's poorest states, is now lit-up by a Greenpeace India solar-powered micro-grid.

Enter the village and you'll see electric poles all around. The solar micro-grid supplies the electricity for homes, street lighting for roads and lanes, and water pumps.

Dharnai is the first village in India where all aspects of life are powered by solar. The 100 kilowatt (kW) system powers the 450 homes of the 2,400 residents, 50 commercial operations, two schools, a training centre and a health care facility. A battery backup ensures power around the clock.

The secure power supply of the new solar micro-grid has brought immense benefits to the community. Household lighting, agriculture, business activity and social infrastructures like schools, and health centers all have guaranteed electricity.

Reliable electricity in the evening has improved educational opportunities for village children, and brought the safety of street lighting. A dependable power supply has boosted the local economy, and brought a welcome improvement to the social life of the villagers.

The story of the Greenpeace micro-grid project inspiring. It is unbelievable to see an entire village lit-up by solar energy. It illustrates how, in a country like India, universal energy access can be achieved without compromising the environment with coal pollution.

It's motivating because the affordable micro-grid became a reason for an entire community to join hands and work together to solve its energy problem, and to make this project a success. What a privilege it is to see sign boards on the highway saying: Dharnai Solar Village – 1 km ahead.

We have done it with the support of the villagers of Dharnai, and with partners BASIX and CEED. After two months of successful testing, we launched the micro-grid on Sunday 20 July with the eldest person of Dharnai (80 years old) formally switching it on in front of a supportive crowd of thousands.

With an electricity system in place after 30 years of waiting, Dharnai now has all the elements to build a strong local economy. Their progress is no longer thwarted by a lack of electricity.

Dharnai shows a way forward for thousands of other villages everywhere which have been left behind. These villages can develop their own clean power and contribute to saving their environment by showing we don't need to use nuclear, coal or other fossil fuels for energy.

Dharnai is just the beginning. India has 80,000 more villages that need solar micro-grids. Greenpeace India will work to build greater collaboration to ensure all get access to clean, reliable electricity.

There is a story here that goes well beyond India. Hundreds of millions live without electricity. For them, the Dharnai solar-powered micro-grid could be a game-changer, a model for bringing clean, reliable energy to those energy-starved millions.

Communities without electricity, and their governments, can take a leap forward and develop the innovative solar systems. And comunities can avoid the energy systems of the past that plague the world and build a clean energy system they can own and control.

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(Unregistered) brian18
says:

We are looking at a system that includes a Diesel Rotary Uninterruptable Power Supply (DRUPS) similar to the QTS Princeton data center campus in the U...

We are looking at a system that includes a Diesel Rotary Uninterruptable Power Supply (DRUPS) similar to the QTS Princeton data center campus in the USA, which has more than 57,000 solar panels generating up to 14.1 megawatts of power.

Note:
1. Extra light will be charged @ rate of Rs 35 per month
2. Customer joining under Package I and asking for two bulbs will be considered as Package II category and accordingly the customer has to pay the security deposit and wiring fee.
3. All other appliances like fan, TV, etc., will be charged as per Package II unit rate. For example, a fan of 40W will consume 15 units (approx.), if it runs for 12 hours every day.
4. Appliances like heater, iron, geyser, cooler, air conditioner, cooker, toaster, etc., will not be allowed to be used under this project. Customers are requested to check with the local project office about such appliances.

Commercial Package:
1 LED light of 6W, mobile charging point of 12W and solar street light

Note:
1. Each commercial establishment will have energy plan and accordingly their monthly rental will be fixed.
2. Extra light point will be charged @ rate of Rs 40 every month.
3. All appliances like TV, computer, printer, etc., for commercial establishment will be charged @ Rs 13. For example, a fan of 40W will consume 15 units (approx.), if it runs for 12 hours every day.
4. Appliances like heater, iron, geyser, cooler, air conditioner, cooker, toaster, etc., will not be allowed to be used under this project.

Customers are requested to check with the local project office about such appliances.

The consumers will be charged on a monthly basis to make sure that they get secured quality supply of electricity. It is important that each consumer pays in time to ensure that the project is successful and it helps people bring a positive change in their life. A timely payment will help us to serve better.

At any given point of time, the rate will be much cheaper (three time) than any other existing micro-grid project in India. The rate will also be determined based on the sustainability, affordability and reliability for all. In all probability, a consumer will still be paying less than their current energy bill.

Give details about the micro-grid that you are setting up in Bihar.

It is a 100 kW plus expandable pilot smart-grid based on renewable energy technologies. It uses 280 solar panels to generate more than 100 kW of electricity that currently powers more than 400 households, who have applied for connections.

The micro-grid is based on a bottom-up approach. It begins with a certain ambition and can be scaled up based on people’s demands and requirements. Being a community-led project, it is to be managed by electrification committees, which consist of members of the village community using the micro-grid.

The micro-grid also intends to create a model that is replicable and can be used by the government for electrification across Bihar and the rest of the country. The micro-grid intends to be financially sustainable so as to take care of its own operations as well as attract investors and financial institutions into the arena of decentralised renewable energy systems.

Hence, we have involved BASIX and CEED as co-implementers of the project. BASIX has the expertise in financially managing a system like this, whereas CEED is the organisation that will be the community interface in Dharnai.

The model currently gives two kinds of domestic and a commercial or business package. The basic package includes one light connection and a charging point totalling 18 watts per household as a basic domestic package.

The second package includes three lighting points and a mobile charging point with a total usage of 30 watts. Residents opting for fan or television connections would also be falling under this package.

The third is a commercial package for shops and businesses which includes one lighting point, one mobile charging point and a street light. It uses 18 watts of electricity. The package takers will also be allowed to use a fan connection.

Other than this, the micro-grid also includes 10 solar-powered water pumps of 3 horsepower capacity each for irrigation and 60 solar street lights. The water users group in different tolas will manage water for agriculture through the solar water pumps.

How is it a Business Model?

The micro-grid is designed to be sustainable from a long-term perspective, that is, to provide for efficient operation and maintenance of the micro-grid. The model is designed to prove that micro-grids can operate and generate revenue to ensure sustainability. However, with the right financial incentive from the government, it can become an attractive business with huge potential for providing energy to rural households.

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(Unregistered) KevinBenn
says:

"a story of a village that has unshackled itself from darkness, after 30 years of having its energy needs neglected by governments."
A...

"a story of a village that has unshackled itself from darkness, after 30 years of having its energy needs neglected by governments."
And what do we see? A lady adding washing suds to the drinking water in the open air; another lady endangering her own and her family's lives by cooking at home over an open fire; school kids sitting in neat rows on the dirt floor - no books, no computers.We didn't get to see the hospital, the factories, the farming equipment, the shops. Everyone happy?
The energy needs of this community are much like ours, starting at home with hot and cold running water, cooking facilities, lighting, heating and hygiene and going on through society's needs of modern agriculture, education, health services, transport ... To raise the standard of living of the billions of people in the developing world, born and yet to be born, to a level we fortunate few could accept requires plentiful, reliable, affordable energy. NOW!
This means, for the foreseeable future, fossil fuels and state-of-the-art technology.
This way, we can go along with Emma Thompson and begin to feel a tad less guilty.

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moderator, greenpeace
says:

Dharnai was electrified on a decentralised solar microgrid, which means - the central (coal) grid has failed to provide electricity to the community for almost 30 years. Rural and remote communities around the world face the issue of energy access.

By setting up a decentralised solar grid, the community is able to produce energy in their own backyard. Also, the issue of livelihoods displacement is eliminated completely.

Read more about the microgrid model here: http://www.greenpeace.org/india/Global/india/report/Bihar-Smart-Energy-Access.pdf

As for the facilities mentioned, now there are street lights in the village, schools have access to electricity as they have solar panels installed, safety and security have improved since people can be out post sunset.

The model can be replicated and the capacity of this microgrid can also be expanded if need be.

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(Unregistered) Nidhi
says:

Hello,
I am a second year MBA student at University of Pittsburgh. My team is doing a project in micro-grid for a village in Gujarat. We were ho...

Hello,
I am a second year MBA student at University of Pittsburgh. My team is doing a project in micro-grid for a village in Gujarat. We were hoping to get some information from you. Let me know if you are willing to answer a few questions. Any help from your side will add credibility to our research.

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(Unregistered) SALIL
says:

Is it possible to install a solar panel to charge 12 volts STORAGE CELL to use power of 500 watts?
If yes, What shall be the cost for the instal...

Is it possible to install a solar panel to charge 12 volts STORAGE CELL to use power of 500 watts?
If yes, What shall be the cost for the installation of SOLAR Panel & the Required STORAGE CELL in a village in West Bengal?